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| Earthquake Rumors Cause Panic in Jakarta |
| Media, government embark on campaign to educate public with correct information |
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Aloysius Wisnuhardana (wisnuhard)  |
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Published 2006-07-26 17:21 (KST) |
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After earthquakes hit the southern coast of Java and several regions of Indonesia, the people fell into panic after they heard rumors that another earthquake and tsunami would strike again.
For residents of Jakarta, a major metropolitan region, rumors about a future earthquake and tsunami continue to spread. Workers in business areas experienced a small earthquake last week, so they fear a bigger one could follow.
Despite being educated people and having access to the right information, rumors are spreading via short message services (SMS), instant messaging, and e-mail. Several media outlets are running stories about the science of earthquakes, calming some fears.
For the survivors who still live in camps, this has been very traumatic, as they witnessed a tsunami previously slamming into their lives, destroying their homes, and causing them to be displaced. Some even lost family members.
The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency has opened hotline services for citizens who need information about earthquakes and tsunamis. But the channel is limited, so the line is regularly jammed. Information provided by television and radio are helping people to get valid information, but for some it is not enough to persuade them.
Indonesians should be more aware that they live in a country that has a potential earthquake every year. More than 7,000 earthquakes have been recorded by the agency.
Several supernatural and occult outlets are predicting a mega earthquake will strike Jakarta and destroy its skyscraper buildings in the near future. Unfortunately, this information was spread by the media. Some news outlets analyzed the statement, leading some people to be more convinced of the forecasts.
Official sources at the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency and the Research and Technology Ministry as well as experts in media say it is impossible to know precisely where and when a future earthquake may strike.
The agency has opened a specific number (2303) to spread the right information by SMS and warn the people that the other messages are false. Police are threatening to arrests those who are spreading the rumors about earthquakes and tsunamis.
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©2006 OhmyNews
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 Comments Note: Kindly refrain from personal attacks and profanity. |
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1. yu
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dhanie , 2006-07-27 19:11
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